internet - Tracking the health care buzz: cancer

CIC Data and Edelman have teamed up in an effort to track the online discussions on health care in China in their project "Word of Health". Not surprisingly their first case study focuses on China's biggest killer: cancer.
The health care, the darling subject of many traditional media, is clearly moving to the internet. From the press release:

The Chinese Internet is filled with consumer discussions and multimedia content related to brands,products, and services on online channels like BBS (online message boards) and blogs,” said Sam Flemming, CEO / Founder, CIC. “IWOM presents an unprecedented opportunity for companies to learn about their customers and how to appropriately participate in and contribute to the communities where their customers are talking.”

CIC Daanalyzedsed almost 1.5 million Chinese BBS posts in the third quarter of 2006. Some conclusions are obvious: when companies do not pay attention to this online discussion, it will be very easy for them to have a crisis at hand they cannot handle. Stakeholders do trust "corporate senior leadership" Edelman found, but that does mean those leaders have to use the online discussion platforms.

While companies are not yet extensively discussed in IWOM, there is an incredible thirst for accurate, objective, and trustworthy information within healthcare / pharmaceutical IWOM. This thirst is not being quenched by traditional media channels. There is a significant opportunity for healthcare / pharmaceutical companies to leverage IWOM in their strategic communications campaigns to better engage, educate, and inform patients, potential patients, and the general public.

Companies mentioned in the tracked online discussions are amongst other Astra Zeneca, Novartis, Roche, Abbott Labs, Merck, Xian-Janssen, GSK, Serono, Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer.
CIC Data and Edelman might a good pick here, not only because health ahealthalt care is very high on the agenda of the Chinese citizens, more than anywhere else. The industry is on top of that even for Chinese standards very corrupt. There are early sign suggesting that reform of the health care is going to be not only high on the agenda of the individual patients, but also that of the government. That will cause a lot of discussion.
Here is the links in Chinese and I guess the English one will be up soon too.

Update I: Links are now also available in English here.

Update II: Did I tell you already that Sam Flemming of CIC Date is one of our speakers? Guess we should add "health care" as a subject where he qualifies as a speaker. When you want to book Sam for a key note, seminar or otherwise, please get in touch with my headquarters or mail me directly.